00:00Well, it's down to showbiz now, and the live action version of Disney's Little Mermaid
00:04premieres in London tonight, and the film has more than a few twists on the animated original.
00:10Up where they walk, up where they run, up where they stay all day in the sun.
00:19Wondering free, wish I could be part of that world.
00:27And Settel Currier is in London's Leicester Square tonight, and Settel, this movie's been controversial, hasn't it?
00:37Yes, that's right, Mary. Although hundreds of people and hundreds of fans have come here to see the star of
00:44this film, Hannity Bailey,
00:46she is the first black actor to play the role of Ariel.
00:51And lots of people have taken issue in the fact that Ariel is being played by a black woman,
00:57rather than how she's been traditionally played.
01:00And as well as that controversy, Hannity Bailey has also been subject to very serious and sustained racist abuse online
01:09as a result.
01:10And I spoke to her about that when I caught up with her earlier.
01:15How important is it, just on a wider point, for this Disney princess to be played by you, a black
01:22actor?
01:23It's so important. I mean, honestly, we just have to be able to see ourselves in places like these, in
01:29roles like these,
01:30and know that we're worthy. It means so much to me.
01:34But unfortunately, there has been a small minority of backlash.
01:38Some of it has been racially abusive towards you.
01:41Were you surprised by that?
01:43So, you know, I wasn't surprised by it, but I think I'll let that bring me down.
01:47I'm just so grateful to be in this position.
01:49You know, this is a dream come true for me, and I'm honored to be representing for this generation.
01:57Well, in Disney's 100-year history, there's only been one black princess, Tiana, in Princess and the Frog, back in
02:052009, until...
02:08Well, it's time to show this now, and the live-action version of Disney's Little Mermaid premieres in London tonight.
02:14And the film has more than a few twists on the animated original.
02:17Up where they walk, up where they run, up where they stay all day in the small, I'm wondering free,
02:29wish I could be part of that world...
02:35And Settel Currier is in London's Leicester Square tonight, and Settel, this movie's been controversial, hasn't it?
02:45Yes, that's right, Mary.
02:47Although hundreds of people and hundreds of fans have come here to see the star of this film, Hallie Bailey,
02:54she is the first black actor to play the role of Ariel.
02:59And lots of people have taken issue in the fact that Ariel is being played by a black woman,
03:05rather than how she's been traditionally played.
03:09And as well as that controversy, Hallie Bailey has also been subject to very serious and sustained racist abuse online
03:17as a result.
03:19And I spoke to her about that when I caught up with her earlier.
03:23How important is it, just on a wider point, for this Disney princess to be played by you, a black
03:31actor?
03:31It's so important. I mean, honestly, we just have to be able to see ourselves in places like these, in
03:38roles like these, and know that we're worthy.
03:40It means so much to me, but unfortunately there has been a small minority of backlash.
03:46Some of it has been racially abusive towards you.
03:50Were you surprised by that?
03:51So, you know, I wasn't surprised by it, but I think that let that bring me down.
03:55I'm just so grateful to be in this position.
03:58You know, this is a dream come true for me, and I'm honoured to be representing for this generation.
04:05Well, in Disney's 100-year history, there's only been one black princess, Tiana, in Princess and the Frog, back in
04:142009, until now.
04:16This movie opens up in UK cinemas on the 26th of May.
04:21All right, Sajal Kari at Investor Square.
04:25So, to come, let's turn to showbiz now, and the live-action version of Disney's Little Mermaid premieres in London
04:32tonight.
04:33And the film has more than a few twists on the animated original.
04:37Up where they walk, up where they run, up where they stay all day in the small.
04:46I'm wondering free, wish I could be, heart of that world.
04:54And Sajal Kari is in London's Leicester Square tonight.
04:58And Sajal, this movie's been controversial, hasn't it?
05:04Yes, that's right, Mary.
05:06Although hundreds of people and hundreds of fans have come here to see the star of this film, Hallie Bailey,
05:13she is the first black actor to play the role of Ariel.
05:18And lots of people have taken issue with the fact that Ariel is being played by a black woman rather
05:24than how she's been traditionally played.
05:27And as well as that controversy, Hallie Bailey has also been subject to very serious and sustained racist abuse online
05:36as a result.
05:37And I spoke to her about that when I caught up with her earlier.
05:42How important is it, just on a wider point, for this Disney princess to be played by you, a black
05:49actor?
05:50It's so important.
05:52I mean, honestly, we just have to be able to see ourselves in places like these, in roles like these,
05:57and know that we're worthy.
05:59It means so much to me.
06:01But unfortunately, there has been a small minority of backlash.
06:05Some of it has been racially abusive towards you.
06:08Were you surprised by that?
06:10So, you know, I wasn't surprised by it, but I think that let that bring me down.
06:14I'm just so grateful to be in this position.
06:16You know, this is a dream come true for me, and I'm honored to be representing for this generation.
06:24Well, in Disney's 100-year history, there's only been one black princess, Tiana, in Princess and the Frog, back in
06:322009.
06:35Until...
06:40...
06:42...
06:44...
06:45...
Comments